AC Milan will be looking to put behind them their disastrous weekend outing when they host Juventus at the San Siro tonight in the Coppa Italia first leg semi-final. With Juventus also having settled for a similar barren draw with Siena in the weekend, the match will definitely be an explosive one.

The first thing Andrea Pirlo must've said when he saw that bizzare photo above was : "è che un lupo mannaro con meno capelli?!" (is that a werewolf with lesser hair?). What else is this Halloween Juventus extravaganza supposed to be about, if doesn't involve their own coach, Antonio Conte, dressed up in a Count Dracula suit?

Ah, leave it to the Azzurri to tour the football pitch in style! Seriously though, you could set up a fashion runway right in the middle of Belgrade's Marakana stadium and the Italian national team won't look an inch out of place. Work it, bellissimo!

Sometimes your team is just beaten by a better team. Sometimes the opponent is stronger or faster or more technically skilled, and you just have to take your beating with the best grace you can muster. Thus the equanimity with which Alex Ferguson accepted Manchester United's loss to Barcelona in last season's Champions League final: Barça was simply and obviously better.

Gazzetta dello Sport Ibra KO, go for it Pato! Gasperini Changes: Here is why Hamsik goal towards City, delirium for Lavezzi Buffon: "I looked at Pirlo and thought there is a God..." Mangia: €2,368 for beating Inter Toro go top Pozzi double, Samp fly Tuttosport Conte makes love to Juve Toro, Bianchi scream!

Faroe Islands v. Italy
2/9/2011 • 20:45 CET • Tórsvøllur, Torshavn (FRO)
Referee: Tamás Bognar (HUN)

Never underestimate that Viking spirit, but never forget the four stars you wear, either.

Starting Lineups:

Italy:

4-3-1-2: Buffon; Maggio, Ranocchia, Chiellini, Criscito; Thiago Motta, Pirlo, De Rossi, Montolivo; Cassano, Rossi.

Rob Kinnan PhotographyJuventus 1, Chivas de Guadalajara
Two of the most well known teams from around the world arrived in Raleigh, North Carolina to do battle as part of the Herbalife World Football Challenge. Juventus FC arrived to represent the Italian Seria ‘A' while Mexican powerhouse Chivas de Guadalajara arrived to represent the FMF Primera Division.

Sky Italia has nailed the preseason advertising market with some holy commercials designed to highlight the miracle that is calcio. Or miracle that it, despite the constant shitstorm, still stands as a structure.

Ambrosini, Mauri, Eto'o and a Totti statue in one, while Andrea Pirlo dons stripes (or trades a red for a white) for the first time in the other.

Le ultime da casa Juve passano da Parma e dalle parole di Sebastian Giovinco "Ringrazio Conte, so che ha molta stima di me ma io l'anno prossimo voglio giocare". Parole di chiusura nei confronti di un ritorno "Napoli? Può succedere di tutto ma io voglio continuit e, ora come ora, Parma è la squadra dove [.

L'identikit della mezz'ala a cui danno la caccia quelli del Milan e di cui tanto si parla in questo principio di calciomercato, prosegue senza lasciare impronte rivelatrici. Oltre ad avere incantevoli occhi cerulei, essere alto almeno 183 centimetri, porterebbe il 42 di piede. Decisamente diabolici dalle parti di milanello, ma per quanto possono esserlo ancora?

I'm off this week slaking a thirst for lawns and paperwork, but this can't wait. Paul Scholes retired today, meaning that we are officially old, you and I, and children born from this day forth will never see jungles or snow.

Like Matt LeTissier, Scholes was a great English player who seemed to have no effect on the way the rest of the English played football, even as his game contained the promise of total revolution.

Classe e idee chiare. Come quelle che ha mostrato nel suo primo giorno in bianconero, dopo ben 10 anni di Milan ("A me piace vincere le sfide difficili ha detto -. E ora che la Juve cambi marcia e torni quella che era. Ho tanta voglia di riportare il club ai vertici: per farlo [...]

Nell'attesa che si disputi l'ultima giornata del campionato di Serie A, alcuni possibili colpi di mercato scaldano gi i motori e le attese per la prossima stagione. Si parla tanto di Inter e dei suoi target: Sanchez, Tevez, Hazar. E l'altra met di Milano come si sta muovendo? Dopo l'addio, assolutamente amichevole, di Andrea Pirlo, [.

Nel giorno del suo 32° compleanno, il regista azzurro Andrea Pirlo ufficializza la fine del suo amore calcistico con il Milan ("Decisione consensuale, 10 anni indimenticabili"), saluta i suoi compagni e abbraccia (anche se ancora non c'è la firma) la nuova avventura, che partit ai piedi della Mole, con la maglia bianconera della Juventus (pronto [.

With contract negotiations between Milan's senatori and the management set to be resolved tomorrow. Qasa Alom prepares himself for a new era at Via Turati, and looks back at some of the finer moments in the last decade. "I hope this win can open up a whole new era for Milan. My own journey is almost at an end, but when a club invests in top players, it will win" Rino Gattuso May 2011.

By Mirko Corli, writing from Torino.

For the first time since 2004, the Scudetto is a rossoneri trophy. And let me say as an Inter Milan supporter it is fully deserved.

As I told you many times here on AFR, to win Serie A you do not always have to be at your best in the biggest matches, but simply whenever it becomes vital to perform.

Scudetto e Coppa Italia. È questa la doppietta a cui punta il Milan, impegnato questa sera nell'andata della semifinale col Palermo. Un'accoppiata che farebbe entrare Allegri nella storia: nessun allenatore infatti ha mai centrato il doppio obiettivo al primo colpo. Il tecnico definisce un suicidio la possibilit di perdere il campionato e un dovere centrare [.

Ci siamo. Tra due settimane, vista la pausa della Serie A per gli impegni della nazionale di Prandelli, ci sar la supersfida scudetto tra Inter e Milan, distanziate di due punti in classifica, con i rossoneri attualmente in vetta.
Il Milan arriva a questa sfida con qualche problema da risolvere.

Gazzetta dello Sport Milan, Inter. The effects of the Champions League Eto'o: "Play like we did at Munich and we'll win everything" Balotelli madness: Red. Mancini's City are out Behind the renewals of Buffon and Del Piero Pirlo, Moratti also thinks about it An Under in Serie B. The idea takes shape Tuttosport Juve, you need one of these four Sanchez, Aguero,.

By Chris Wright

"Top row, from left to right: Pirlo, Forlan, Robben..."

When the vast Man City bandwagon rolled into town on Tuesday evening, Greek side Aris Thessaloniki pulled out all the stops to impress their uber-wealthy guests by providing City executives with an advanced copy of their matchday programme which included the picture above under the proviso that it was the Premier League side's official squad photo.

E' dal 21 agosto 1999 (2 a 1 per i gialloblu in Supercoppa di Lega) che il Parma non vince in Serie A, in casa del Milan, avversario quest'oggi nel primo anticipo (ore 18) di campionato. Negli ultimi 10 precedenti con il club rossonero, due pari e otto sconfitte per l'undici gialloblu. Contro la corazzata [.

Gazzetta dello Sport NovItalia Prandelli launches Cassano and Pazzini in Dortmund Debut for Thiago Motta Editorial: Wednesday of Lions Pirlo alarm: This is how he can leave in June Milito story: A black year for the Prince Del Piero says 'yes': He'll sign a new deal in the next seven days Corriere dello Sport Cavani: 'Naples, you have to believe.

This evening I saw a spate of headlines after England coach Fabio Capello shared a meal with some journalists. It seems most of the talk was about England's future i.e. Jack Wilshere.

Interestingly, Capello wants to play young Jack in front of his back four.

I want to put him in this position in front of the back four.

Calcio Thoughts is back with it's first edition of the New Year! It's been a long time since the last one, and the questions might be a little dated, but I'll provide the most current answer to the best of my abilities. If you have a calcio question, comment, thought, or anything you'd like to see in Calcio Thoughts 11, feel free to ask it in the comments section of this post, the comments section of the upcoming Weekend that Was post, or simply email it to calciothoughts@gmail.

The Serie A will be resuming tomorrow, when a fresh slate of midweek games will be played. There are many interesting fixtures, but the one which I'm really looking forward to is Cagliari - AC Milan. AC Milan coach Massimiliano Allegri will be returning to his former club at the Stadio Sant'Elia, and he'll be bringing a slightly different side than usual with him.